Illuminated sign



Feb. 3, 1925.

' C. K. ROYLANCE rhwmuusn smn Filed are; 20 1924 INVEN 'OR CHARLES Y-ROYIANCE V a B his Attame 0 I Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

NT SATES CHARLES KENT ROYLANCE, OF BELMONT, ENGLAND.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application filed March 20, 1924. Serial No. 700,556.

1 '0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KENT Roy- LANCE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 6 Clifton Avenue, Belmont, Surrey, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs of the type in which a plurality of detachable and interchangeable letters, each of which is provided with incandescent lamps and contact pieces, is so arranged that when the letters are placed 1n position on a pair of parallel conductors, the necessary electrical connections are automatically effected.

According to the present invention each conductor is mounted within a slot or recess in a background or support, the upper wall of the slot being bevelled in such manner as to lead any moisture toward the edge of the slot and to serve to retain the contact pieces of the letters in position. This may he efi'ected either by making the upper wall or the slot of springy material or by making the contact pieces of spring material.

In one form of construction each conductor is mounted on insulating material, carried by a support which is U shaped in cross section and is formed of flexible material the upper arm of the U being so arranged as to lead moisture to its edge; each letter is provided with a pair of bars of insulating material adapted to be engaged by the U shaped supports and having spring contacts. Preferably, in order to make the apparatus weatherproof, a number of filling pieces, of the same shape as the bars of insulating material, are provided to fill up the spaces in the U-shaped support which are not occupied by the bars on the letters.

In another form of construction, each conductor is mounted within a slot in the background or support, the upper wall of the slot being levelled to lead any moisture towards the edge of the slot and to retain the contact pieces which in this case are so formed as to engage the bevelled edge when the letter is sprung into position.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of an illuminated sign, Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 22, Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear perspective view with the backing broken away, and

Figure 4 is a detail section of a modificatlon.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 3, 1 are brackets adapted to be secured to a wall or background (not shown). 2 are U-shaped supports made of flexible material carried by the brackets 1 and extending the whole width of the sign. Mounted within each support 2 is a strip of insulating ma terial 3 to which is secured a strip at of conducting material supplied with current from any suitable source, such as an electric main. 5 is the body of a part of the illuminated sign, in this instance the letter H. The body 5 is bored out to receive a plurality of lamp holders 6 having terminals or contacts 7, 8. The terminals 7 make contact with a conducting strip 9 mounted on the interior of a bracing 10 which is secured to the body 5. The terminals 8 are similarly connected to a second conducting strip (not shown). 11 are bars of insulating material fixed to the backing 10 and provided with conducting wires 12, 13 the conducting wire 12 being connected to the positive terminals 7 and the wire 13 to the negative terminals 8 of the lamps.

141: are spring cont-acts connected to the wires 12, 13, and adapted to make contact with the conductors 1. 15 are filling-pieces of insulating material, of the same shape as the bars 11.

In operation, when the letter is sprung into the position as shown in Figures 1 and 2. the bar 11 is gripped by the support 2, and the necessary electrical contact is made between the spring contacts 14 and the conductors 4, so that the lamps thereon are illuminated. If the letters itis desiredsto use do not extend the full width of the sign, the blank spaces are filled with the filling pieces 15, so that dust or rain cannot enter into the interior of the U-shaped support 2.

In the modification shown in Figure 4. the body 5 is provided with spring clips 16 of conducting material engaging in a recess formed in a bar or background 17, a portion of the upper wall of the recess being bevelled so that the clip 16 is normally retained in position. The spring clips 16 engage conductors a shown in Figure 4.

lVhat I claim is 1. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a plurality of letters each comprising a frame, a plurality of lamp holders mounted thereon, a pair of contact pieces mounted on the frame, and means connecting the contact pieces to the lamp holders, of a support, a pair of strips of flexible ma terial carried thereby and each having a. recess, a pair of conductors mounted in said recesses, said strips being U-s'haped in cross section and each adapted to be engaged by the contact pieces of said letters.

2. In an illuminated sign, the combinaation With a plurality of letters, each comprising a frame, a plurality of lamp holder's mounted thereon, a pair of bars of insulating in'ateri'al mounted on the frame, a pair of Contact pieces one mounted on one bar and the other on the other bar and means connecting the contact pieces to the lamp holders, of'a support, a pair of strips of flexible material carried thereby and each having a recess, a pair of conductors mount ed in said recesses, said strips being U- shapcd in cross section and adapted to grip one of the bars of said letters.

3. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a plurality of letters each comprising a frame, a plurality of lamp holders mounted thereon, a pair of bars of insulating material mounted on the frame, a pair of contact- ,pieces one mounted on one bar and the other on the other bar and means connecting the contact pieces to the lamp holders, of a support, a pair of strips of flexible material carried thereby and each having a recess, a pair of conductors mount-- ed in said recesses, said strips being U- shaped in cross section and adapted to grip one oi the bars of the letters and a plurality of filling pieces adapted to seal unoccupied portions of the recess.

4. In an illuminated sign, a support having a recess therein, plurality of letters each comprising a frame, a conductor mounted in said recess, a bar of insulating material on said frame and a contact piece carried by said bar, the construction being such that the bar lits the recess so as to prevent access of Water thereto.

5. In an illuminated sign, a support having a recess therein, a plurality of letters, each comprising a frame, conductors mounted Within said recess, and contact pieces carried by the frame, the upper Wall of the recess being inclined to lead water away from the conductors and also retain the frame in position, so as to prevent access of Water to the recess. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this third day of March 1924-. V I v CHARLES KENT ROYLANCE. 

